The present invention relates to an adjustable machine tool support.
Machine tools for use for example in rotary cutting, boring, milling or other types of machines which engage a workpiece typically held by a rotary chuck, are adjustable to provide precise tolerances for the finished product. The tools must be periodically adjusted to compensate for tool wear or otherwise maintain the finished part within a desired tolerance range due to other factors such as tool wear, machine movement due to temperature changes and the like. A variety of existing tool holders provide such adjustments. One such tool holder is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,826 issued Apr. 11, 1972 to R. C. Gersch. This device employs an eccentric sleeve driven by a reversible motor and gear arrangement for providing precise control of a cutting tool mounted to the tool block. When used in conjunction with for example, an automatic compensating system of the type described in my copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 860,704 entitled TOOL POSITION COMPENSATING SYSTEM filed on Dec. 15, 1977, and assigned to the present assignee, the tool holder provides continuous adjustment to compensate for tool wear and also for indexing errors which may exist when used in a multi-station system.
Other tool holders employ pivoted members which pivot about an axis with the cutting element on one side of the pivot axis and an adjustment mechanism on the opposite side of the axis. The adjustment mechanism typically is set screws for movement laterally to the longitudinal axis of the pivoted tool holder or cam means which also move the end of the tool holder remote from the cutting element in a lateral direction to achieve the pivoting adjustment. Although such systems provide compact tool holders and reasonable ranges of adjustment, they do not provide the adjustment accuracy, an automatic means of adjustment and range desirable in many applications particularly where precise machining is required.